32 MLAs Suspended For Rest Of T-Assembly Session

The Telangana State Legislative Assembly, which resumed after a three-day break, today witnessed chaos as the Opposition Parties stormed the podium of Speaker S Madhusudhana Chary seeking a debate on the burning issue of farmers' suicides, in place of the Question Hour.

The Opposition MLAs demanded that the government waive the remaining part of the farmers' loans in one go.

Despite repeated appeals by the Speaker for their cooperation to run the House, the members raised slogans and stalled the proceedings, resulting in pandemonium.

Though Legislative Affairs Minister T Harish Rao also appealed to the members to withdraw their stir, the Opposition did not relent. The members continued raising slogans against the government seeking clarity on the loan waiver.

As the din continued, Harish Rao moved a resolution seeking the suspension of the agitating MLAs, and the Speaker announced the decision suspending them, and asked them to leave the House after reading out their names. Almost all members of the Congress, TDP, CPI, CPM and BJP were suspended.

Apart from the MIM MLAs, those who escaped the action included the Leader of the Opposition K Jana Reddy and TDP member R Krishnaiah, as they both did not storm the podium. TDP floor leader E Dayakar Rao did not attend the House today, and thus escaped the suspension, too.

Jana Reddy, however, walked out along with his other party members.

The members who were suspended are Puvvada Ajay Kumar, D K Aruna, Mallu Bhattivikramarka, Chinna Reddy, Jeevan Reddy, Rammohan Reddy, Sampath Kumar, Uttam Kumar Reddy, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and Ramreddy Venkat Reddy (Cong); A Gandhi, M Gopinath, Prakash Goud, Rajender Reddy, Revanth Reddy, Sayanna and G Vivekananda (TDP); Kishan Reddy, Dr Laxman, Ch Ramachandra Reddy and Prabhakar (BJP); and Venkateswarlu, Ravindra Kumar and Sunnam Rajaiah (the Left Parties).

After the suspension of the Opposition members, Question Hour was taken up. Minister for Power G Jagadish Reddy replied to a question on the power issue. The Speaker later adjourned the House to meet again on Tuesday.